Pitching Problems, Playoff Gaps, and Draft Dreams

Matt Shepard and Sean Baligian cover a wide range of Detroit sports — and a growing theme starts to emerge: expectations aren’t matching reality. The show opens with frustration on the mound, as inconsistent pitching continues to put the Tigers in tough spots despite flashes of promise elsewhere. From Jack Flaherty’s maddening outings to ongoing bullpen concerns, Shep and Sean break down why too many free passes and missed opportunities are holding this team back. They also discuss Casey Mize’s encouraging start, the pressure on Spencer Torkelson to produce as a middle-of-the-order bat, and why Detroit’s offensive profile still feels incomplete without consistent right-handed power. From there, the conversation shifts to the Red Wings — and the uncomfortable reality that other teams in the division are pulling ahead. With playoff intensity exposing familiar flaws, the guys question whether Detroit has the high-end talent needed to compete and why the rebuild still feels stuck in neutral. They also hit on the Pistons’ inconsistency, coaching decisions, and what needs to change after a frustrating performance, before wrapping with Lions draft talk — including ideal fits, potential risks, and how Detroit should approach building the roster moving forward. Candid, critical, and wide-ranging, Shepard and Baligian tackle the biggest questions facing Detroit teams right now — and why answers still feel hard to find.